I bassist just beginning her journey as a double bass teacher wrote to me recently inquiring about what I consider to be a good approach toward starting beginners. Here’s my response:
t’s great that you’re starting to do some teaching! The best series I’ve found for teaching beginners is the Progressive Repertoire series from George Vance (who passed away recently, unfortunately). They are kind of a modified version of the Suzuki materials only designed really well for the bass. The only problem (some would call it a problem, anyway) is that they use the Rabbath fingering system, so all the positions don’t really correspond to what students do in their school orchestra programs. I’ve bounced back and forth between scribbling out all the Rabbath fingerings and writing in traditional fingerings and just teaching both systems to students at the same time, and these days I opt for starting with teaching the Rabbath fingerings and then explaining how the positions int heir school music differ. The Rabbath positions make a lot of intuitive sense, and I find that it’s not too tough for students when I approach it this way.
Here’s a link to the Progressive Repertoire series–I’d get all three books, which will take you from the very first piece through the Dragonetti Concerto (several years down the road!):
http://www.slavapub.net/Sheet_Music-Progressive_Repertoire.html
One of the cool things about this series is that it starts students in the neck positions, first position, and thumb position at the very beginning, making shifting less scary. The early tunes use nice wide intervals (thirds, fifths, and sixths), making intonation work easier for the beginner. Also, I’ve found that each tune is about the right amount for a beginner (who is practicing!) to learn in a week. That way, I can generally give one tune per week as an assignment and expect it to be learned the following week.
What do you use for beginning bass?
I have used many methods for starting beginners, from Simandl (which I use to some degree in conjunction with Vance), but after discovering the Progressive Repertoire series (along with Vade Mecum for technical studies) I’ve been very content. What did you start with, method book-wise, and what do you use in your own teaching?
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I’m a big fan of Thomas Gale’s Practical Studies. This gets the student moving around the fingerboard and uses reference points for great intonation and shifting. However it does not start at ground zero. For that I use Essential Elements – mostly because the majority of public schools use it and it does a nice job of starting at the beginning. I do not like it’s approach to shifting and positions and that’s the Practical Studies comes in.
I do like a small dose of Simandl – it’s boring and dry but nothing can beat its mapping of the fingerboard. Since Gale goes from first to fourth position, the Simandl balances it out filling in the gaps.
I also use the Musicians Practice Planner to instill discipline and practice habits.
Once the student has been playing a while I introduce Sevcik – but I only like the Tarlton edition.
You can see my lesson recommendations here:
http://petertambroni.com/mostlybass_wp/lessons/
Thanks!
Hi Jason!
I have struggled with finding the right materials to start young [or not so young], beginning bass players. It is important to me to handle each individual in a manner that communicates to that person, optimizes the skills that they already may have, and encourages them to confront their weaknesses.
I am upset with some of the beginning method “camps” that act as if their way was comprehensive and flawless, and fail to recognize the validity of other programs of study. Having said that, it would indeed be overwhelming to a beginning student to be exposed to all of the different approaches, all at once, and be expected to avoid confusion. It is my wish that responsible teachers will be open to sharing information about these other approaches, even if it is not their way of instructing.
I always put together a packet of materials for the student. Cognizant of Copyright Law, I try to always get them to purchase the music that we are using.
A few favorites are:
“Flintstones Theme” – this is based on George & Ira Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm”, so it has great bearing for any student who wants to go on and play Jazz with a modicum of dedication.
Even for “Legit” students, it’s a great introduction – except for the coda, it can be played [in “Bb”], never leaving half position! I feel that most kids will have lots of playing in the keys of “G”, “D”, and “A” (watch those “G#s!) if they participate in their school orchestras; maybe it’s paying homage to Simandl, but half position play is often neglected, with little hands riveted between the tapes (or “Hello Kitty” stickers?) in first position.
To encourage the beginners to span the proper distance with their left hands, I call it “Striking Cobra” (Come on! Every Private Studio Teacher has their own little Nerdisms – this is just one of mine!). A former student (Hello if you’re out there!), Lilly Saywitz, once told me that she tried to do “Striking Cobra” but couldn’t, so she came up with something else – “Baby Cobra”. This entails using a slight pivoting motion WITHIN half or first position, remaining aware that it’s only a temporary solution.
“Dance in the Hall of the Mountain King” (Tanz in der Halle des Bergkönigs), from Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg is o wonderful piece because it’s familiar to most, and getting just the first line is a nice juicy morsel for most kids. They tend to think (as do I) that it’s real cool that they are playing off of the real orchestra music!
I have a blast, playing the Recitative from Beethoven’s Ninth… right after the page turn, it goes into the “Ode to Joy” theme… I tell the student “Now it’s your turn…” Since it’s such a familiar and widely loved melody, much more often than not, even with lots of struggling, the student can more or less play the theme, and once again, are delighted to be playing “Real” music by Beethoven.
I could go on and on about pieces and books I’d recommend… The Brits have got some winners:
“Right From The Start” by Sheila Nelson and “Bass is Best” by Caroline Emery.
When it comes to etude books, I much prefer Bille to Simandl; many of the exercises sound like “Real Compositions” as opposed to “Robot Music from H-E-Double Hockey Sticks”. Of course, almost all of the fingerings need to be re-worked.
I wait with bated breath to see if there are any responses…
Have Fun!
Greeting and thanks for your kind words regarding Bass is Best.
I agree that most teachers use many different repertoire and ideas, but you cannot beat step by step according to the student. My students of course use Bass is Best at first along with my new repertoire which is forming a new book as I realise that when I wrote Bass is Best of course I knew everything!!!!! not at aged 24!
Now with some 20 years experience I am obsessed with bow curves and aiming to to fix all the typical problems always found.
I never use Simandl and I do use George Vances books alongside the Rabbath books. This is of course with the rather larger repertoire that has become available over the last years. Team Strings is also quite good to build up reading.
I am still very upset that George Vance is no longer with us and feel very proud to have know, grown and worked with him until very recently.
Thanks